Dog at Humane Society of North Bay gets new lease on life

Dog gets new lease on life

By
John Glidden, Vallejo Times-Herald

Sunday, June 7, 2015

It was quite a weekend for “Mondo” the dog.

Mondo, whose fate was the subject of more than a dozen phone calls from concerned dog lovers to the Times-Herald Thursday night and Friday morning, had been at the Humane Society of the North Bay since late December. Suffering from a noncontiguous form of mange and temperament issues, he was scheduled to be euthanized Friday.

By Sunday morning he was on his way to a new life with the Center for Animal Rescue and Education in Solano (CARES) rescue group.

“He will get joy and a peace of mind,” said Marie Victa-Chua, a co-founder with CARES. “And everyone is happy.”

Victa-Chua is also a director on the humane society’s board.

Stephanie Gomes, president of the humane society board, agreed with Victa-Chua on Sunday.

Gomes said Friday that Mondo is suffering from his second bout of demodectic mange — a skin disease that causes red scabs to form — which is causing him huge discomfort.

She added that the stress of being in the shelter contributes to his mange condition and coupled with his aggressive behavior, the humane society board decided to have Mondo euthanized, Gomes said Friday.

“He has behavior problems,” humane society board secretary Kristin Eddy said early Friday morning. “Mondo has bitten other dogs and lunged at other dogs.”

From Thursday night to Friday morning, the Times-Herald received 16 calls from concerned individuals calling to show support for Mondo, upset about his planned euthanasia.

Sylvia Harmon, who said she used to volunteer at the humane society, disagreed with the humane society’s assessment of Mondo.

“Mondo is an excellent dog, fantastic with people,” she said Friday. “I used to play with Mondo every day.”

Gomes and director of operations and animal welfare Brigid Wasson placed the blame of Mondo’s mange condition with former director of operations and animal welfare Sue Strek.

“He was brought in under the care of Sue Strek,” Wasson said by phone Friday. “And he has fallen under my responsibility.”

Due to “zero adoption interest,” Wasson said Mondo “needs to be euthanized.”

“I don’t want dogs to suffer,” she added. “It’s inhumane to keep him in this condition.”

Wasson adds that Mondo’s mange treatment is $1,600 and “didn’t work.”

Wasson asserts that Strek stopped doing rehab for Mondo, during his first bout of mange.

Strek disagreed.

“The mange came back under her (Wasson’s) watch,” Strek said. “It came back around 10 days ago, there was a rash around his neck and collar.”

Strek said she let Wasson know about the rash but Wasson never did anything about it.

Victa-Chua said Mondo will go to the Animal Care Clinic in El Sobrante and be under the care of Dr. Michael Evans.

Mondo will be a “special” patient at the clinic and stay there until his mange completely goes away, she added.

He will then be behaviorally tested and evaluated and hopefully placed in a one-dog home, Victa-Chua said.